Constructional mask



Dec. 1, 1959 J. H. LEMELSON 2,914,772

CONSTRUCTIONAL MASK Filed Aug. 8, 1955 3| F19 Fig. 4 Fig.5 F [-7 2 INVENTOR.

[/9 9 JeromeHLemelson United States Pate'ntQ This invention relates to put-together or constructional toys and particularly to toys which may be worn as a mask. Specifically the invention relates to a play mask having plural components which may be assembled and disassembled with a base.

A primary object of this invention is to provide a new andimproved constructional toy which may be worn by the player after partial or complete assembly.

Another object is to provide a new and improved toy mask which may be decorated and changed at the will of the player to form a variety of different facial characters and arrangements.

Stillanother object is to provide a new and improved constructional toy which is simple, easy to put together and low in cost.

A further object is to provide assembly means for converting a flat mask into a simulated three dimensional mask by adding components thereto which, although flat, are mounted so that they stand out therefrom.

Other objects will be apparent from the following specification.

In the drawing: 1

Fig. 1 is an isometric view of an assembly toy in the form of a mask having plural facial components assembled thereon.

Fig. 2 is the same as Fig. 1 with the facial components shown in outline only and further illustrates a plurality of slits in the mask for assembling the components thereto.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a facial component in the form of a circular disk.

Fig. 4 is an isometric view of a clip for attaching a component such as that of Fig. 1 to the mask base.

Fig. 5 shows the clip of Fig. 4 in side cross section assembled to the component of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 shows a modification of the clip and component of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 shows the assembly of the clip of Fig. 5 with the mask base.

Fig. 8 shows the partial cross section a further modification to a facial component and another method of assembly of said component with a mask base.

Fig. 9 shows a still further modification of a facial component, a mask base and a means for securing said com.- ponent to said base.

Fig. 10 shows the lower portion of the mask base of Figs. 1 and 2 and a flat sheet component secured thereto.

The current invention pertains to a toy mask which may be taken apart or assembled with various facial components for amusing and educating a child playing therewith. The child may thus change his disguise at his will to make different faces and simulate different characters. The mask thus does not lose its play and amusement value as a result of being fixed in facial characteristic or expression but may be changed to represent different facial characters each of which exhibits a different expression.

The conventional play face mask is made of a plastic,

. 2,914,772 Patented Dec. 1, 1959 "ice plastic impregnated gauze, paper mache, or the like, and is generally decorated with printed or painted designs by the manufacturer. While toy masks have been made with attached components such as mustaches, beards, side burns, etc., these components are generally assembled therewith when the mask is made and are permanently attached.

In Figure 1 which is an isometric view of an assembled constructional mask, various diiferent facial components are shown assembled on a mask base 10 which may be used to create a simulated facial character according to the desires of the player. The base 10 is preferably formed of rigid or semi-rigid sheeting in accordance with conventional face mask manufacture. It may be made of paper mache, plastic impregnated or coated gauze or cloth, or molded or formed plastic sheet.

The various facial components illustrated comprise flat or contoured shapes simulating such components as eyebrows 20, eyes 21, cheek markers 19, a nose 23, mustache 24, mouth 25, and beard 26. The components are assemblable with the base 10 by one or more of the means illustrated in Figures 3 to 10 and various interchangeable designs of the same component may be pro vided to offer a variety of different combinations for the player who assembles the mask.

In Figure 2 the components of Figure 1 are shown in dashed outline to illustrate the portions of the cutouts provided in the mask base 10. Each of said components may be assembled with base 10 by the provision of a clip 31 having a bent tong portion 32 adapted to be secured to the facial component as in Figures 5 and 6. through the masks slits illustrated or by the method of Figure 10 which will be described.

The notation 12 refers to slits in the mask 10 where the eyebrows 20' may be placed, 13 to horizontal slits where the eye members or eye patch 21 may be positioned, 14 to a slit for receiving the nose member 23, 15 to a slit for the mustache member 24, 16 to slits for the mouth 25' and 17 to a slit for the beard 26'. The numerals 28, 29 and 30 refer to flexible straps for holding the mask 10 on the head. The notation 11 refers to holes in the mask base 10 which align with respective holes 11 in the eye members 21' allowing the wearer to see thru both.

One means for fastening facial components to the mask base 10 which show a clip 31 having a base portion which is illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 secured to the facial component such as the disc shaped eye 21' of Figure 3 and a lip 32 with a rounded end which is shaped to be inserted in the horizontal slit 13 of the base 10. Holes H provided in 31 permit it to be sewn to 21' in the manner illustrated in Figure 5. A rivet may also be used to fasten 31 to 21. The other components may be similarly provided with clips for assembly with 10.

Figure 6 shows a facial eye component 21" which is shaped and convexly contoured giving the appearance of a three dimensional eye. Figure 7 shows the assembly of a component such as the beard 26 of Fig. 1 with base 10 by means of the clip of Fig. 4. Figure 8 shows the use of mated snap fasteners to quickly effect the fastening of a facial component to the base. A male member of snap fastener 37 is secured to 10 by conventional crimping means and is assemblable with a female snap fastener 38 secured to the facial component 26" by crimping the legs 39 of 38.

In Figure 9 assembly of the base 10" and the facial component 26" is effected by providing a button 40 sewn by means of a thread 36 to the base 10", adapted to be secured in a button hole 41 in the facial component 26".

In Fig. 10 a further means is provided for assembling a facial component made out of a sheet material with a sheet base member or mask without the need for fasteners, clips or the like. Assembly is effected by providing a tab as part .of the component which is adapted to assemble in a slit in the base member in a manner to hold the component thereon in a hanging attitude. Fig. 10 shows a facial component 26a simulating a mock beard which is adapted for assembly with the sheet base member or mask 10 by means of a tab 28 which is adapted .to pass through the slit 17 in 10 and to hold said component 26a in a hanging attitude thereon. The tab 28 is provided with an end portion 28" extending from a neck portion 28 immediately adjacent to the general contour of 26a and of smaller diameter than said head portion. The head portion 28 is of greater Width than the length of the slit 17 and is adapted to pass through 17 by positioning the component 26a so that 28 is oblique thereto and working said head portion therein as the component is rotated to essentially the position illustrated in Fig. 10. The tab 28 since it overhangs the ends of the slit 17 upon assembly will thus prevent the removal of 26a from the sheet base member during normal use. The other facial components illustrated in Fig. l, for example, may also be assembled with the base member in the same manner that 26 is assembled therewith thereby providing a substantial yet simple means for effecting the assembly and securing of said components thereto.

I claim:

In a constructional toy mask, the combination of a sheet base member adapted to cover the face portion of a wearer and a plurality of flat sheet member components smaller in area than said base member and shaped to simulate various portions of the face such as the eyes, nose, ears and mouth, each of said components having a T-shaped tab extending from one of the edges thereof and integral therewith, each of said tabs being of generally symmetrical shape and having an enlarged head portion and a smaller neck portion, a plurality of slits formed in said base member adapted to receive said tabs, each of said slits being of .greater length than the neck portion and of less Width than the head of said tabs, the Width of the greatest diameter of the head portion of said tabs being such that it may be passed thru one of said slits obliquely thereto, the said components after assembly with said base member projecting downwardly from said slits.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 387,843 Baggerly Aug. 14, 1888 505,653 Gumeson Sept. 26, 1893 2,043,209 Eisner et al. June 2, 1936 2,262,993 Dessart Nov. 18, 1941 2,637,038 Bower May 5, 1953 

